Change-delivering machine.



T. l. POTTER.

CHANGE DELIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2B. 1913- Patented 7 SHEETSTSHEET 1.

m: mum's nuns co.. rNcmu-md. wasumcrou. n. c.

T. POTTER. CHANGE DELIVERING MACHiNE.

Patented Feb. 13,1917.

ISHEETS SHI-IET 2.

m: mwms PEIERS 5a.. Pnomurnm wAsumcmnyuIo,

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

7 SHEETSSHEET- 3- 3m) tow p either/M3;

m: Nmwls PETERS co.. FHOTOALITNON wAsmNcmN, u c

T. POTTER.

CHANGE DELIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-28, 1913.

1,215,408. Patented Feb. 13,1917

ISHEETS-SHEET 4- J s/1 c lXhtQemo Ir/s NoRms rzrsns cn PRO": um WASNINGTDN. u c.

T. l. POTTER.

calmer; DELIVERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 11116.28. 1913.

1,21 5,408. Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

ISHEETS-SHEET 5.

T. l. POTTER.

CHANGE DELIVERING MACHINE. APPucA'noN FILED AUG-28. 1913.

Patented Feb. 13, 191%.

mums-smear 6- v I I Snow/01, We m w 1m: wonms FEYERS ca. PHOTO-1N0 wAsm/vc yard. 0. c.

T. I. POTTER.

CHANGE DELIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28, l9i3- Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

ISHEETS-SHEETW m5 mmms rsrsrs ca. Pncmuma. WASKINGI'UN. o. c.

THOMAS IRVING POTTER, 0F PORTLAND, OREGQN, AssIoNoR T0 coIN MACHINE MANU- PACTURING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, A OORPORATIONOP OREGON.

CHANGE-DELIVERING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Application filed August 28,, 1913. Serial No. 787,126.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS IRVING Por- Tnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Change- Delivering Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon This invention relates to machines adapted to deliver at a convenient point sums of money in coin, the amount delivered being controlled by finger keys. The objects of the invention are to provide an exceedingly simple machine which may be manufactured at low cost, and with which sums of money may be delivered in any desired fractional amount by the manipulation of a minimum number of keys, said keys being so grouped and related that any one or any combination, or all of them, may be simultaneously operated by one hand, while the other hand is utilized for the reception of the delivered coin. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the coins will be conveyed to the point of discharge from the coin holding receptacles with extreme rapidity and in substantially the same time, whereby the danger of the operator withdrawing the hand which is to receive the coin before the final coins have been de posited therein, is reduced and the speed and accuracy of the machine enhanced. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which all of the coins to be delivered may be simultaneously ejected from their holders or receptacles and with which there can be no interference of one ejecting mechanism with another, with the result that the keys may be manipulated toeject coins of a value from lei-to the highest capacity of the machine; for example, in the machine illustrated, coins of a value from 1 up to a total value of $13.07, although it will be understood that the values accorded the several keys may be varied and coins placed in the receptacles to be ejected thereby to correspond to the value accorded the keys.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and' combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1ngs,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coin delivering machine embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken from a point of view at the right hand side of Fig. 1, with the side of the casing removed and some of the parts broken away in order to show underlying parts.

Fig.3 is a rear elevation with the back of the casing removed or in section on substantially the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is .a sectional plan view substanti ally on the line M, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view substantially on the line 5-4, Fig. 2, but omittingthe ejector operating mechanism of all of the keys except the top or dollarrow of keys. a

Fig. 6 is a similar view substantially on the line 66, Fig. 2, and omitting the ejector operating mechanism of all the keys save the second row of keys, or what might be termed the tens keys.

Fig. 7 is a similar view substantially on the line 77, Fig. 2, but omitting all of the operating mechanism for the ejecto-rs, save that of the bottom or penny row of keys.

Like letters of referencein the several figures indicate the same parts.

The machine embodies a base 10 surmounted by a casing 11, which is of general rectangular form, save that on its forward side it curves downwardly and forwardly, as shown at 11 in Fig. 2, where the keys for the ejecting mechanism project through to the front, as will be presently described, and on the front of the casing, at the left hand side of the operating keys and extending partly over the same, the casing. is provided with. a housing 12, the inclined bottom walls 12 of which form a portion of the chute for directing the coins ejected from their holders or receptacles into a' convenient place for their reception in the hand of the user or for deposit either in the bottom of the chute or in a curved pan or receptacle 13 in the base 10, immediately be low the discharge opening of the chute.

The coins to be ejected by the manipulation of the keys are piled in suitable recep- .tacles or stacks at the top of the machine,

said receptacles or stacks being preferably arranged in two rows, one in front of the other, and are conveniently formed by curved semi-cylindrical channels in castings 14:, which are removably mounted in the top of the casing so as to occupy a slightly inclined position, as best seenin Fig. 2, and in front elevation in Fig. 1. Conveniently and in the particular machine illustrated the coin stacks are arranged to hold coins as follows:

In the left hand stack in the front row $5 gold coins, and each of the other four stacks in the front row, $1 silver coins. The first stack on the left in the second row is adapted to hold 50 coins, the second stack 25 coins, the third and fourth stacks 10 coins, the fifth stack 5 coins, and the remaining four stacks hold 1 coins. With this arrangement of the stacks the keys for controlling the ejecting mechanism for the coins are arranged in three rows, the finger pieces of the keys of each row being located closely adjacent to each other, and the rows being located one behind and at a slightly higher elevation than the other, as will be readily apparent from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 4, where the dollar key finger pieces are indicated by the number 15, and a proper dollar designation of the amount which will be ejected by the manipulation of the key, while the finger pieces in the second or middle row are indicated by the number 16, and each bears a proper designation of the value in fractional currency which will be ejected by a manipulation of the particular key desired. The finger pieces in the third row, indicated by the number 17, are the penny keys, and each bears a designation of the amount which will be ejected by its manipulation. The ejecting mechanism which is controlled by the keys is so arranged that all of the keys may be simultaneously or each individually operated without interference one with the other, and they will operate to eject coins of the value indicated thereon. That is to say, in the dollar row the first key toward the left will eject a $5 coin, the second key will eject $4: in dollar coins, two being ejected from each of two of the stacks, the third key will eject two $1 coins from one of the other dollar stacks, and the first key will eject a $1 coin from the other dollar coin stack. In the second row, the keys eject respectively, beginning at the left hand end, a 50 coin, a 25 coin, a 10 coin, a 10 coin, and a 5 coin. In the third row the first key toward the left will eject four pennies, two from each of two stacks; the middle key will eject two pennies from another penny stack, and the first key will eject a single penny from still another stack. The whole arrangement of the finger pieces for the keys is such that with the fingers and thumb of one hand practically any combination of the keys to be operated may be effected, for it is possible with this arrangement to operate any two adjacent keys with a single finger or the thumb, and hence successive manipulation of the keys is done away with. The advantage of this lies in the fact that users of the machine, like performers on a piano, soon learn to strike the proper combinations for ejecting the desired amounts, without thought or consideration, the whole operation being effected by one movement of the hand while holding the fingers and thumb in proper position for striking keys.

The finger pieces 15, 16 and 17 are mounted on the forward ends of light levers which, at their rear ends, are rigidly connected with horizontal shafts journaled in bearings supported by the base 10 of the machine. The bearings are conveniently formed inbrackets 21 rigidly secured to the base and preferably formed of metal stampings of substantially U or L shape, with the arms projecting upwardly in position to support the shafts in parallelism and in proper relation to each other so that there will be no interference between the parts carried thereby. The arrangement of the brackets for supporting the shaft is best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, and from these figures and Fig. 5 it will be seen that the key levers 15 15*, 15 and 15 for the finger pieces 15 are mounted respectively on shafts 22, 23, 2a and 25. Each shaft carries an upwardly extending arm, the arms being numbered respectively 22*, 28 24: and 25*, there being two arms 23 on the shaft 23, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 5. The arms 22 to 25 project upwardly and slightly to the rear in planes which would intersect the coin stacks for the coins which are to be ejected by the operation of the respective keys, that is to say, the arm 22* projects up in the plane of the $5 stack, while the arms 23 project up in the planes of the two $1 stacks lying next to the $5 stack, and so on. Each of the arms 22 to 25 has pivotally connected to its up per end an ejector, one of the ejectors 26 being shown in side elevation in Fig. 2 from which figure it will be noted that the ejector is pivotally mounted at an intermediate point in its length, its forward end or nose 26 being adapted to work in a groove or channel 27 in the bottom of the coin stack, so as to intersect the coins piled therein and effect the discharge of the lowermost coin, or, where two coins are to be ejected, it will enter the coin stack a sufficient distance to engage and eject the two lowermost coins. The forward end of the'ejector is held up by elastic or yielding pressure whereby, when the coins engaged thereby have been ejected, the remaining coins in the stack will settle down to the bottom of the stack and depress the ejector, permitting the same to return freely to its normal position back of the edge of the lowermost coin 01' coins. Conveniently the ejector is held by means of a tension spring 28 connected between its rear end and the arm or lever on which the ejector is mounted, the tendency of the spring being, of course, to depress the rear end and elevate the forward end of the ejector, but the pressure is insufficient to elevate the coins in the stack, and, as a consequence, the resistance to the movement'of the ejectors is slight so that extremely light tension springs 29 connected with the arms or levers and extending back to a fixed cross piece 30 may be employed for returning the ejectors and the finger keys to their normal positions.

From Figs. 6 and 2 it will be seen that the finger pieces 16 of the second row are mounted respectively on levers or arms 16 16, 16, 16 and 16 respectively, these levers being rigidly mounted on parallel shafts 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, and each shaft carries an arm corresponding to the arms 22 to 25*" and numbered respectively in Fig. 6, 31 to 35 From Fig. 7 it will be seen that the finger pieces 17 are similarly mounted on lever arms 17 17 b and 17 respectively, said lever arms being rigidly mounted on short shafts 36, 37 and 38, carrying upwardly extending arms 36*, 37 and 38*, respectively. The arms 31*35 and 36 38*, also carry at their upper ends ejectors corresponding to the ejector 26. Only the ejectors on the last mentioned arms are relatively short, as shown at 39 in Fig. 2, said ejectors 39 being adapted to intersect the bottom portions of the stacks in the upper row of coin stacks or holders to eject fractional currency therefrom, and all are adapted to eject single coins except the 4 and 2c key ejectors. The

2c key e ector ejects two coins from one of the penny stacks, while to eject four pennies the arm 36 (see Fig. 3) is provided near its upper end with a lateral branch 40 which carries an ejector 41 parallel with the ejector 39 on the arm 36 both of the ejectors carried by the arm 36 being adapted to eject two pennies each, so that by the manipulation of the 4 key two pennies are discharged. from each of two stacks.

The arms 522 353 are each guided in a separate slot in a diagonally arranged plate 42 mounted on the transverse support 30 before referred to, the said plate 42 also serving as a back stop for limiting the retrograde or backward movement of the arms with the ejectors in proper position behind the lowermost coins in the respective stacks.

The upper front portion of the chute casing 12 is curved to form a deflector 12*, Fig. 2, which will deflect coins ejected from the front row of stacks downwardly with a speed greater than would be attained by either for the reception of coins them through the action of gravity alone, and consequently said coins are shot by the ejecting movement down toward the bottom of the chute; A similar arrangement is provided for the coins ejected from the stacks of the rear row; thus, as shown in said Fig. 2, there is provided between the stacks a curved deflector 12 which will deflect the coins ejected from the rear row of stacks downwardly where they strike an incline 12 which in turn directs them forwardly into the main chute 12. The curvature and inclination of the deflectors and inclines are such that. coins ejected from any one of the stacks will be propelled toward the discharge point at a maximum speed, this being desired in order to avoid a practical difliculty which was found to exist because of the lagging of some of the coins and the consequent withdrawal of the hand of the operator before the final coins were deposited therein.

Where the ejectors for the front row of stacks cross the coin passage leading from the rear row of stacks they are preferably protected by narrow V-shaped bridge pieces 43, but said bridges are spaced apart an ample distance to prevent any possible interference with the coins ejected from the rear stacks and they are, as far as possible, out of line with the path followed byan-y of the coins so ejected.

The discharge opening of the chute which,

is located some distance above the base 10 is so arranged that the hand of the operator may be readily placed beneath the same between said opening and the pan or receptacle 13, a recess being conveniently formed in the front wall of the case as shown at 44 in Fig. 1, and by the correspondingly numbered dotted lines in Fig. 2. Inasmuch, however, as under some circumstances it may be desirable to retain the coins in the chute at the point of delivery, a rearwardly opening, sliding gate 45 is mounted in guideways 46 extending forwardly on each side of the discharge opening, the rear portion of the gate being bent up at 47 to cooperate with coil springs 48 mounted on pins 49 extending rearwardly in the casing and tending to normally hold the gate in its forward or closed position. The gate is provided with a downwardly extending lip 50 against which the tips of the fingers of the hand may be pressed to open the gate which have theretofore been supported by the gate or to hold the gate open when coins are ejected by the manipulation of the keys with the fingers of the other han A catch is provided for normally holding the gate open when so desired, this catch being preferably in the form of a small shaft 51 j ournaled in brackets on the bottom of the chute and having an arm or projection 52 the first order.

at the rear end which may be turned to occupy a position in front of the gate when'it is desired to hold the latter open, although it is normally in an upright position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The shaft and catch are turned from one position to the other by a handle 53 at the forward end of the shaft in convenient position to be manipulated by the hand which is in position to engage the slide or gate, so that the whole operation of moving the gate and manipulating the catch may be performed at one time and by one hand, without thought or effort on the part of the operator. A suitable spring is preferably provided to cooperate with flat places on the shaft for holding the catch in one position or the other, as is customary in devices of this kind, and which it is not thought necessary to illustrate herein.

Where the key levers and arms join the shafts to form the bell crank mechanism of the ejecting devices, they are preferably reinforced in order to make the connections firm and rigid and at the same time permit of the use of relatively thin stampings for the formation of the arms and levers. These reinforcements are preferably short pieces 54 arranged parallel with and secured to the side of each of the arms and levers, and to make a firm connection with the shafts, the said shafts are preferably square as shown in Figx2, similarly shaped holes or openings for the reception of the shafts being formed in the ends of the levers and arms, together with their reinforcements 54. The shafts are made to fit tightly in the openings, but other means for securing them in place is unnecessary, inasmuch as both the arms and levers are guided, and their lateral displacement prevented in the one instance by the slots in the front wall of the casing, and in the other instance by the slots in the guide plate 42.

With the construction noted that each key lever, its shaft, and the upwardly projecting arm form in effect a bell crank mechanism and the ejector is mounted directly upon the upper end of the same, said ejector being pivoted at an intermediate point after the manner of a lever of This exceedingly simple arrangement does away with the complication usually found in machines of this kind and correspondingly reduces the liability of the parts being disarranged or rendered inoperative by rough usage. The necessary throw for effectually ejecting the coins from the stacks is secured by making the arms of the bell crank mechanism relatively long, instead of by multiplication of levers for accomplishing the same result. The employment of independent shafts journaled in separate bearings parallel with each other provides for the employment of stock shaft described it will be material, and reduces the cost of manufacture and maintenance as compared with structures such, for example, as that of my prior application No. 717,058, in which the shafts are concentrically arranged on a single axis.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a coin delivering machine, the combination with a plurality of coin holders, each provided with an ejectorguideway intersecting its lower portions, of a plurality ofindependent shaftsjjournaled on parallel axes, a forwardly projecting key lever mounted for pivotal movement with each shaft and having a finger piece at its extremity, an upwardly projecting arm rigidly mounted on each shaft and forming with said shaft and key lever a bell crank mechanism, and an ejector pivotally mounted directly upon the upper end of each of said arms, each of said ejectors being adapted to work in one of the ejector guideways intersecting the bottom of a coin holder.

2. In a coin delivering mechanism, the combination with a. plurality of coin holders, each having an ejector guidewayintersecting its lower portion, of a plurality of shafts journaled on parallel axes and extending under the coin holders, a forwardly extending key lever mounted for pivotal movement with each shaft and having at its forward end a finger piece, an upwardly extending arm rigidly mounted at its lower end on each shaft, there being one of said arms positioned in the plane of each of the coin holders, and an ejector pivotally mounted directly on the upper end of each arm with its forward end working in the guideway intersecting the'bottom of the coin holder in the plane of which its carrying arm is located.

3. In a coin delivering machine, the combination with parallel rows of coin holders located one in front of the other and each holder having an ejector guideway intersecting its lower portion, of a series of horizontal shafts journaled on parallel axes and arranged in groups located at different levels, a key lever rigidly mounted at one end on each of the shafts and having at its forward end a finger piece, an upwardly extending arm rigidly mounted on each of said shafts, one being in substantially the plane of each of the coin holders, and the arms on the lower group of shafts being in the planes of the rear coin holders, and an ejector pivotally mounted directly on the upper end of each of said arms with its forward portion operating in the guideway in one of the holders, the ejectors for the rear holders being mounted on the arms of the lower shafts.

4.. In a coin delivering mechanism, the

combination with plurality of coin holders each having an ejector guide-way intersecting its lower portion, of a plurality of shafts journaled on parallel axes below the coin holders, a forwardly extending key lever rigidly mounted on each shaft and having a finger piece at its forward extremity, an upwardly extending arm rigidly mounted at its lower end on each shaft, there being one of said arms positioned in the plane of each of the coin holders, an ejector pivotally mounted at a point intermediate its length directly on the upper end of each arm and with its forward end working in one of said guideways, a tension spring connecting the rear end of each ejector and its supporting arm for holding the forward end of the ejector upwardly with a yielding pressure, and a tension spring for returning each arm and ejector to its normally retracted position.

5. In a coin delivering machine, the combination with a casing, coin holders mounted in the upper portion of said casing and arranged in rows one behind the other, shafts journaled in the lower portion of the casing on parallel axes, forwardly projecting vkey levers rigidly mounted on the respective shafts and having finger pieces thereon on the front side of the casing near one end thereof, arms rigidly mounted on said shafts and projecting upwardly in the planes of the respective coin holders, and ejectors pivotally mounted directly on the upper ends of said arms, of a chute at the front of said casing having its discharge opening at the bottom and at a point near the opposite end of the casing from the key levers, said chute being flared upwardly and rearwardly to receive the coins from both of the rows of holders to conduct the same downwardly to the same point of delivery at one side of the key levers.

6. In a coin delivering machine, the combination with the casing, coin holders mounted in the upper portion of said casing and in rows one in front of the other, a series of horizontal shafts j ournaled in the lower portion of the casing on independent parallel axes, a key lever rigidly mounted on each of Gopies of this patent may be obtained for said shafts and all projecting through the front of the casing in the front portion of the same, a series of upwardly projecting arms rigidly mounted on the shafts and lying respectively in the planes of the coin holders and ejectors pivotally mounted directly onthe upper ends of said arms in position to cooperate with the respective coin holders for ejecting coins therefrom, of a chute in the front of the casing having a rearwardly inclined wall extending under both the rows of coin holders, and a laterally inclined wall extending over the key levers, said chute having a point of discharge at the bottom of said inclined walls and located near the lower right hand portion of the front of the casing, and a coin receptacle in the casing below said discharge opening in the chute.

7. In a coin delivering machine, the combination with the coin holders, ejecting mechanism embodying horizontal shafts, forwardly extending key levers mounted on said shafts and arranged in the lower right hand portion of the casing, and upwardly extending arms on said shaft, each having directly mounted thereon a forwardly extending ejector, and a coin chute having inclined walls extending from its discharge opening rearwardly over the shafts beneath the coin holders and laterally over the key levers, a sliding gate mounted in the bottom of said chute, a spring for holding said gate normally in its forward closed position, a depending finger piece, whereby the said gate may be opened by the'hand which is placed in position to receive the coins from the chute, and a catch for holding the gate in its open position having an operating handle at one side of the discharge opening is in position for the reception of coins from the chute.

THOMAS IRVING POTTER.

Witnesses E. V. REARDON, M. C. GEIL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

